Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, US

The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves (among other purposes) as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

The building opened on October 23 2003. Upon completion in 2003, the project had cost an estimated $274 million, including the parking garage which had solely cost $110 million.

Architect : Frank Gehry






Sunday, April 12, 2009

Torre Agbar, Barcelona, Spain

The Torre Agbar, or Agbar Tower, is a 21st-century skyscraper at Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

The shape of the Torre Agbar was inspired by Montserrat, a mountain near Barcelona, and by the shape of a geyser rising into the air. As a result of its unusual shape, the building is known by several nicknames, such as "el supositori" (the suppository), "l'obús" (the shell) and some more scatological ones. It is also somewhat similar in shape to Sir Norman Foster's 30 St. Mary Axe in London(See Feb2009 Archive). It was constructed from 2001-2004.

It has 30,000 m² (323,000 ft²) of above-ground office space, 3,210 m² (34,500 ft²) of technical service floors with installations and 8,351 m² (90,000 ft²) of services, including an auditorium. The Agbar Tower measures 144.4 m (473.75 ft) in height[8] and consists of 38 storeys, including four underground levels.

Its design combines a number of different architectural concepts, resulting in a striking structure built with reinforced concrete, covered with a facade of glass, and over 4,500 window openings cut out of the structural concrete. The building stands out in Barcelona; it is the third tallest building in Barcelona.

A defining feature of the building is its nocturnal illumination. It has 4,500 LED luminous devices that allow generation of luminous images in the façade. In addition, it has temperature sensors in the outside of the tower that regulate the opening and closing of the glass blinds of the façade of the building, reducing the consumption of energy for air conditioning. It houses the head office of the Aigües de Barcelona Group (English: "Waters of Barcelona").

Architect: Jean Nouvel






The Beehive, Wellington, New Zealand

The Beehive is the common name for the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings, located at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington.

The building is ten storeys (72 m) high. It houses offices of prime minister and other cabinet ministers.

The Beehive's circular footprint (rotunda) is an elegant and attractive design feature. However it is also quite impractical, as many of its rooms are wedge-shaped or asymmetrical, with desks and other office furniture at awkward angles.

The Beehive's brown roof is constructed from 20 tonnes of hand-welded copper. It has developed a naturally weathered appearance.

The Beehive is extensively decorated with New Zealand art, notably a large stained glass window in the foyer.

Architect : Basil Spence






Sunday, April 5, 2009

Jubilee Church, Rome, Italy

The Jubilee Church, formally known as Dio Padre Misericordioso, is a church and community center in Tor Tre Teste in Rome. The Church serves eight thousand residents of the Tor Tre Teste area and was meant to socially "revive" Tor Tre Teste.

The south side of the church features three large curved walls of pre-cast concrete. (The walls form segments of spheres.)The large thermal mass of the concrete walls control internal heat gain; the result is less temperature variation, and supposedly more efficient use of energy. The walls also contain titanium dioxide to keep the appearance of the church white.

Architect: Richard Meier





Puerta de Europa, Madrid, Spain

The Puerta de Europa towers (Gate of Europe or just Torres KIO) are two twin office buildings in Madrid.

They were commissioned in 1996 by the Kuwait Investment Office (hence their initial name "Torres KIO" or "KIO Towers"). Each building is 115 m tall with an inclination of 15°. They are located near the Chamartín railway station, on the sides of the Plaza Castilla bus station, north from the Paseo de la Castellana and near the Cuatro Torres Business Area.

After the Torres KIO fraud case, KIO had to sell the buildings, which are now owned by Caja Madrid and Realia.

Architects : Philip Johnson and John Burgee




Saturday, April 4, 2009

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a modern and contemporary art museum located in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. It is built alongside the Nervion River, which runs through the city of Bilbao to the Atlantic Coast. The Guggenheim is one of several museums belonging to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. The museum features both permanent and visiting exhibits featuring works of both Spanish and international artists.

The curves on the building have been designed to appear random. The architect has been quoted as saying that "the randomness of the curves are designed to catch the light". Opened to the public in 1997, it was immediately vaulted to prominence as one of the world's most spectacular buildings.

Sited as it is in a port town, it is intended to resemble a ship. Its brilliantly reflective titanium panels resemble fish scales, echoing the other organic life (and, in particular, fish-like) as well as the river Nervión upon which the museum sits.

Architect: Frank Gehry






Angkor Wat, Angkor, Cambodia

Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat), is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation—first Hindu, dedicated to Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the center of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs and for the numerous devatas (guardian spirits) adorning its walls.
Angkor Wat means "City Temple".